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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Colombian National Charged in North Dakota with Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise From Canadian Prison

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers for the District
of North Dakota announced today that on July 17, 2015, Daniel Vivas Ceron, 34,
ofColombia, North Dakota, was taken
into custody in Panama City, Panama, in connection with an indictment from the
District of North Dakota charging him with conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances and controlled substance analogues resulting in serious bodily
injury and death, conspiracy to import controlled substances and controlled
substance analogues in to the United States resulting in serious bodily injury
and death, aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance
resulting in death, money laundering conspiracy and continuing criminal
enterprise.

Ceron appeared in a Panamanian court on July 20, 2015, and
is awaiting extradition to the United States.

The arrest comes as part of “Operation Denial,” an Organized
Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international
trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs and was significantly aided by
the national and international coordination led by the Special Operations
Division (S.O.D.), which is a multi-agency near Washington D.C., as part of
“Operation Deadly Merchant.”The
investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death
of Bailey Henke, 18, of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The indictment alleges Ceron operated a continuing criminal
enterprise while imprisoned in Canada that moved fentanyl and other similar
substances from Canada and China into the United States and that those drugs
resulted in serious bodily injury and death.If convicted, Ceron faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

“The cooperation of law enforcement in North Dakota, Oregon,
Florida and Canada has been exemplary in this case – these agencies worked
tirelessly as one unit to target, identify and dismantle this organization in
an effort to prevent additional deaths,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chris Myers.“The fact that in just a few months this law
enforcement team has been able to take this investigation from Grand Forks,
across the United States and into Canada is a tribute to the dedication of
these agents to public safety in both the United States and Canada.”

“The illegal distribution of fentanyl, as the number of drug
overdoses tied to this investigation show, has wreaked havoc across the
country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams for the District of
Oregon.“National problems such as this require
a coordinated national response – and that is exactly what our offices have
done to hold the perpetrators of this destruction accountable.”

Additional defendants charged in federal court as part of
this investigation include:

District of North Dakota

Jameson Robert
Sele, 20, Grand Forks, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute
controlled substances and was sentenced on July 27, 2015, to 36 months
imprisonment.

Ryan Jon Jensen,
20, Grand Forks, North Dakota, pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2015, to conspiracy
to distribute controlled substances resulting in serious bodily injury and
death; two counts of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death
and distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury
and money laundering conspiracy.Currently awaiting sentencing.

Brandon Corde
Hubbard, 40, Portland, Oregon was indicted for conspiracy to distribute
controlled substances resulting in serious bodily injury and death,
distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and money laundering
conspiracy. Trial is currently set for Sept. 15, 2015.

District ofOregon

Steven Fairbanks
Locke with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a
controlled substance.Trial set for Sept. 15, 2015.

Channing Lacey
with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in serious
bodily injury, distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and
possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.Trial set for
Sept. 22, 2015.

Carissa Marie
Laprall with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance resulting
in serious bodily injury and possession of a controlled substance with the
intent to distribute.Trial set for Sept. 22, 2015.

Acting U.S. Attorney Myers and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott
Schneider are prosecuting the cases in North Dakota; Assistant U.S. Attorney
Scott Kerin is prosecuting the cases in the District of Oregon and will be
assisting as a Special Assistant U.S Attorney in North Dakota as the
investigation moves forward.

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are
presumed innocent unless proven guilty.